


The Photograph

by WasteTimeandType



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Dead Parents, Family Feels, Gen, General, Some Mild Angst, cos y'know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25230268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WasteTimeandType/pseuds/WasteTimeandType
Summary: Bolin's moving out of his and Mako's shared apartment to live with Opal. And they only have one copy of the photograph of their parents.
Relationships: Bolin & Mako (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73
Collections: Avatar Fics, Mako + Bolin Gen and Family Fic





	The Photograph

“Bolin, don’t pile your boxes in front of the bathroom!”

Bolin winced as he hurried into the main landing area, carrying another box from his room, and sheepishly plonked it away from the kitchen. “Sorry,” he said to Mako, before hastily picking up the box of books and magazines that had spilled as Mako huffed in annoyance.

Bolin didn’t have that many things, apart from the suitcase of clothes he had, a collection of Nuktuk memorabilia, and some books Opal had given him. A lot of Opal’s books were boring and had lots of words, but he _did_ like ‘ _Captain Zhu’s Fantastic Adventure_ ’, books Bolin was told were for children, but he didn’t care. He even had one signed by the author herself.

Bolin was moving his boxes into the main landing whilst he waited for Opal to swing by and pick him up. Bolin bounced around the apartment with a spring in his step, as he found the last of his knickknacks to pack away. Mako also had a small smile on his face as he helped. It did feel weird— he was moving out permanently. Bolin had moved out before with Kuvira, but that had occurred under the belief it wasn’t permanent, all his personal belongings remained in the apartment. And then of course there was the business with Varrick and him moving out then, but that had been half-hearted and didn’t last.

With Opal, he knew this was going to be a forever thing.

Bolin was leaving behind the small and plain apartment into a small house he and Opal had purchased together. It was such a weird, surreal feeling, but Bolin felt giddy. This was a new chapter in his life, and he was doing it with the woman he loved.

“Mako, c'mere bro,” Bolin said, as Mako put down the box he was holding and he pulled his brother into a hug. “Now, don’t miss me too much. I know you’re a mess without me.”

“Yeah, I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Mako said, tone joking, as he hugged his brother back.

Bolin grinned up at him. “We’re gonna have the most amazing house party, I’ll tell you the date soon!”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“You better, it’s gonna be great,” Bolin said, before he went back to sorting more toiletries from their bathroom. 

When he exited, he saw Mako standing slightly stiffer, and Bolin glanced down, to see Mako holding the framed photograph of their parents in his hands.

“I think you should have this,” Mako said, handing Bolin the picture. “They’d be proud of you, you know. And you should keep them in your new home.”

Bolin’s breath hitched, and he wondered if he would cry. He took the photograph and traced their faces gently. It was their only photograph, a capture of such a happy day for them both, a moment frozen in time, the two children couldn’t have known what hardship followed them next. A tear or two did fall track down his face. He missed his parents, even if he’d only known them for a short while.

And he knew what this meant to Mako. “Thanks, Mako,” he said, before he put the photograph back in Mako’s hands. “I think you should keep it.”

Mako furrowed his brows, surprised. “You don’t want it?”

“Course I want it,” Bolin said, voice shaky, and then Mako tried to give the photograph back to him again, but he pushed it away, “but we only have one copy.”

“Exactly,” Mako said. “So I think you should keep it.”

Bolin shrugged. “I’ll see them when I come round,” he said. “I think you need it more than me.” 

“I thought you’d like to have them around.” Mako looked genuinely confused, as if he hadn’t expected Bolin to refuse the photograph.

“I do!” Bolin protested. “But when we were growing up, I had you, filling in,” Bolin said, his voice quivering. “I’m not sure you had anyone.”

“Don’t be stupid, I had you,” Mako refuted sharply.

“I know you did, but I don’t know ~~if~~ it’s the same thing,” Bolin said. He and Mako had been through a lot, but he’d always leant on his brother. Bolin knew he was there for Mako, but he knew it was often one-sided.

Truth be told, he didn’t have many memories of his parents left. He was sure his brother did, even if he kept them tight lipped and to himself. Most of his memories were not him looking up to his parents, but to his brother.

He loved his parents, but he knew the photograph mattered more to Mako, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

There's a tense quiet, and Bolin isn’t sure what he’s meant to do with his brother, all he can see is Mako looking deep in thought, his fingers turning white as he gripped the frame tightly.

A snap pierced through the silence, and Mako let a small yelp as the frame splintered into his hand, his grip breaking the frame. The picture clattered to the floor, the glass cover cracking. Mako’s eyes were wide, panic was clear, and he reached for it, but Bolin pulled him away.

“The picture’s fine, let’s not get blood on it,” Bolin said, before he ran Mako’s bleeding finger under the tap.

Mako grimaced, before wrapping some towelling around his cut. 

Bolin picked up the picture out of the frame from the floor. “It’s fine,” Bolin said cheerily, “you’ll just have to buy a new frame,” he said, as he placed the photograph onto the kitchen counter-top.

“A more expensive one,” Mako said, and he looked disturbed that he’d broken the picture as he hovered over the surface.

Mako examined the photograph to himself. Bolin spoke as Mako remained quiet, “you know they’d be proud of you too. ‘Cos, y’know, I turned out great.”

Mako did look up at Bolin, and then a small smile formed. Bolin considered that a victory. He pulled his brother into another hug, wordless and close, before they separated to finish packing before Opal arrived to drive them to their new house.

There were still so many things they needed to talk about, but they edged closer to those things sometimes, quiet admissions in the night, offhand comments and stuttered secrets. It was a slow process, but Bolin didn’t mind waiting for the right time with his brother.

Even if Bolin was starting a new chapter in his life and moving out, even if Bolin wasn’t there for Mako as a child; he sure was going to be there for him now, and forever.

**Author's Note:**

> can't wait until they invent photocopying.
> 
> Anyway, this is a fic from [my tumblr](https://wastetimeandtype.tumblr.com/) I posted here. If you like, I'd love to hear feedback!


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